“At Gifford, I have the opportunity to work on a variety of challenging projects which enables me to develop my technical and managerial skills.”

Full name:  Brenda Shonkwiler
Age:  27
Job Title:  Assistant Engineer
Universities Attended: Oregon State University, Cornell University
Degrees Obtained:  Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering (Structural)

Brenda came to the United Kingdom after gaining 2 years experience as a Structural Engineer in the United States.  She joined our Oxford office in 2004 as Graduate Engineer and was promoted to Assistant Engineer in 2006.  She was recently awarded the Young Structural Engineer of the Year Award for 2007 for her outstanding contribution to the £25 million South Bromsgrove High School project.

Why Gifford?

When I decided to move to the UK and work for a Structural Engineering company, I looked into several companies. What attracted me to Gifford was the variety of interesting projects, the company approach, and the friendly atmosphere.

Day-to-day working life

At Gifford, I have the opportunity to work on a variety of challenging projects which enables me to develop my technical and managerial skills. I have gained experience with new build and refurbishment projects of various materials and end uses.

Special Opportunities

I’ve had a fantastic opportunity to work on South Bromsgrove High School which is part of the Bromsgrove Schools PFI. I was involved with the project from beginning to end and gained experience with aspects of the work from concept to final design and construction.  In addition, I gained experience in project meetings and workshops which helped me to develop my ingenuity and communication skills.  Based on my experience with that project, I was awarded IStructE Young Engineer of the Year 2007. I am grateful to Gifford for providing such an opportunity.

Training and Future Plans

Gifford have an accredited training programme through ICE and have supported me in my training for becoming Chartered with both ICE and IStructE.  I plan to take the IStructE exam in April 2008 and hope to become Chartered with ICE shortly thereafter.